The Way Home
by Ziril
Summary: A very young girl with a special ability, searches for her place in life. What happens when she stumbles across a nightmare, or in her case; a chance to change her life forever? Will she run for her life like any other reasonable person or face the Hunter
1. Prologue

_**Yay! It's my very first Predator fiction. Don't laugh; just be honest in your reviews.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, except for those I've invented.**_

**Prologue**

_Have your ever felt like you didn't belong anywhere? I have. For the most part of my life I've been pondering about my place in all of this. You could say, poetically, that I'm a lonely soul who searches for the road that I'm destined to walk on. It is during these recent years I've been thinking of the possibility that maybe, just maybe, the answer is written amongst the stars instead of on this fragile earth I was originally born on. Inexplicable? hardly. Melancholic? You decide._

_People have always found me a bit strange. One reason might be that I'm too complicated for their simple minds. Why theorize and wonder when you can live in the moment? Another possibility is that I've never been that social. People just don't want to spend time with someone who just withdraws to one's own corner and sits staring at a pile of blocks for hours. But I haven't always been that way. One time I was a happy and vivid child that loved to run in the sunshine and let the grass tickle beneath my feet. They were the first years of my life. Those I barely remember. If it's because I was so young then or that I quite simply just repressed them because of painful memories that followed, I don't know. I can however with great certainty tell you that if it were possible, I would have stayed there for ever and never leave that safe bright place..._

Sometimes unexpected things happen. The truth is that there's very little we can do to prepare ourselves for what will come. We just have to accept reality and fight through any obstacles that are placed before us. The only pity is when children have to handle such situations. Kim Winter was only four years old when she got to taste the bitterness of death. Alone and forgotten, but not quite unaware of what had happened in her surroundings. Adults often believe that children don't understand, but Kim understood far too well when her parents didn't show up after the play, a cold Friday evening.

Kim doesn't remember her parents, apart from faint echoes of their voices and some characteristics. However she does remember how much she loved them. They were her whole world, everything she knew. Mr. and Mrs. Winter weren't that kind people that were out partying every night. No, they'd rather spend their free time by the fireplace with a bottle of wine and a good company. But one day they were invited to go and se "The Phantom of the Opera". An old classmate to Mr. Winter hade assured the slightly hesitated couple that they just had to experience such a classic. Anyway, you don't say "no" to two free tickets. Besides, neither of them had been out since their daughter was born. The mother was of course a bit worried about leaving her only child at home, but a good friend of the family hade promised to baby-sit. Just before leaving, Mrs. Winter kissed her daughter tenderly on the cheek. "Now you behave, Kimmie. Daddy and I'll be back before you even notice that we'd left." Then, with a smile on her lips she disappeared, leaving the little girl standing quietly in the hall. Kim never cried when she was left like that, but something in her said that they shouldn't have left the house that night. It's strange how our tiny voices are so right sometimes. With her forehead pressed against the cold window and her breath forming steam on the pane, the girl waited for hours on the return of the two people she loved most in the world. But they never came. Even before the police informed that Mr. and Mrs. Winter had been in a terrible car accident, Kim knew that they were dead.

Without any other living relatives, Kim was taken care of by the social services. Within short, she moved in with two perfect foster parents; Anya and Thomas Neeson. Admittedly they were young and inexperienced, but they loved children and were furthermore brought up with discipline. That's why they were considered excellent candidates, because they knew exactly how a child was to be handled so it didn't grow up to be a respect less monster. When it came to Kim, they had nothing be afraid of. She was very well-mannered and used to not always get what she wanted. Anya loved her new daughter from the moment she met the little black-haired girl. For Thomas it took a little longer to get used to her, but he was never disagreeable or anything like that. At first everything seemed to be normal and Kim adapted very quickly. Still, the family was turned upside-down when Thomas was swiftly and without any warning transferred to another department within the company. This new job happened to be in Central America.

The death of her parents and the rapid change shook Kim deeply. From that day forth, she began pulling farther and farther away from the rest of the world. However, this only happened in periods, or at least that was the case in the beginning. As time flew by she slid deeper into her own world. She searched for comfort elsewhere than from her new parents. Anya and Thomas didn't know what to do. Maybe it would be enough if they'd take her to the park so she could spend time with other kids in her own age. They were miserably mistaken. Kim showed no interest in playing with others in the sandbox. She just sat for herself under a tree or swung gently back and forth. Nothing changed when Anya was forced to drop the girl of at a day-care when a job opportunity came along.

Kim became extremely depressed, although sometimes she didn't even notice her own sorrow. She was confused and there was no one who understood her. One day a secret dream was born in her heart and the dream never died; She waited day and night for someone, anyone, that would come a take her away to another place. It was perhaps a ridiculous thought, but Kim never quite felt at home here on Earth. There were no restrictions for her imagination. She knew that somewhere out there in the universe there was another form of life. She had no clue for what it was. Something was about to happen. Someone was coming...

**_By the way. The first text in italics, it's not my own life story. It's a kind of a um...note. It's true meaning will be revealed later in the story._**


	2. Chapter 1

_**Thanks for all the great reviews! Sorry if it tooks so long for the next chapter to get finnished.**_

_**Golden Wind: Everytime I hear Evanescence's "Going under", I think of your story :)**_

_**Hope you all enjoy chapter 1**_

**Chapter 1**

The white stone plates felt cold under Kim's naked feet as she stepped out on the balcony. She leaned against the rail, which really was a low wall made in sun dried clay, and stared newly awakened at the garden a couple of meters below. It was still chilly in the air, because the sun had not yet managed to warm the earth. Away by the horizon you could se how the deep blue night sky was colored burning red with a splash of yellow and orange. The sun's rays peeked out and suddenly the whole world was full of light.

Kim yawned tiredly and pulling her fingers through her hair, she realized it was a complete mess after the night. Signing she turned her gaze once again to the surroundings. A several kilometers long beach spread eastwards and the Caribbean Sea sparkled seductively in the sunrise. During day the coast was in most cases full packed with tourists from all over the world and with them came huge parasols and noisy children. Luckily the house lay sufficiently far away from all that commotion. There was nothing more irritating than hundreds of people all at the same time trying to sunbathe or cool of in the sea.

"Fools." Kim thought slightly wickedly, for she couldn't understand what drew those people to act like that. Sure, sometimes she went down there to dip her feet in the water, but only late in the afternoon during the sunset. At least it wasn't equally hot then. Kim didn't enjoy the warmth in this part of the world very much. Enough is always best, even concerning temperature. Despite the climate, the country was still fairly pleasant. The landscape with its charming steeping rock formations, calm remote glades and deep rainforests with a wonderful fauna, was a dream place. At least you avoided the loudness of a metropolis. Here everything was paradise.

Many years ago the Neesons and Kim moved to this newly built Spanish inspired two-storey house. Kitchen, study and a living room with a high ceiling were on the bottom floor. The two large bedrooms with separate bathrooms were located on the second floor. There also belonged a garage, wine cellar and a huge garden to this beautiful house. Tanya Neeson loved to sit on her knees in the dirt and plant or nurture her precious flowers. It was always very nice and decent looking in the back, where the family also had a little pond with fish in it. They were quite amusing to watch as they swam in and out between stones and other natural obstacles.

Any how, everyone loved the house. More correctly; Kim liked it, but she didn't care too much about the four walls. Sure, the rooms had air conditionings and were nice but she never attached to anything that would sooner or later disappear from her life.

Kim was one of the few people awake at this hour. But it didn't matter to her. The silence was wonderful and sometimes you could hear the distant call of some bird. If only life could be as simple as this beautiful morning. The summer holidays had just begun and so far everything had run calmly. Kim used to entertain her self by taking long walks to cliffs that rose from the sea. These were located where the rainforests stopped abruptly at the high precipices and there was not another human in sight. The air was sort of different there, she felt more alive there then anywhere else. Meditating or just admiring the view, she sat there on the rocks for hours. Sometimes she took her drawing-book with her so that the nature could live forever in her drawings and not just in memories. From time to time she would also take walks amongst the trees.

But despite that Kim spent a lot of time outside the sun didn't seem to affect her skin. She looked as she always had; long straight jet black hair that reached her ribs. The skin, especially in her face, was pale as if she'd been carved out of pure white marble. But her eyes were the one's one noticed first; light grey with a depth like all the seas of the world. She really looked different from the other with their sunburned arms and legs. It made no difference if people looked at her. Let them look, she thought.

However, today was a very special day since it was Kim's 11th birthday. They were always celebrated with the whole family by going out to a restaurant and eat. Maybe it was a desperate attempt by her parents to get her out of the house to meet new people. Pretty silly actually. Kim didn't really care but she didn't want to hurt their feelings. Furthermore, something strange was in the air.

Since two weeks her father, or as Kim's rather called him; Thomas, hade acted strangely, that is to say more than usually. But Thomas refused to tell what it was that weighted him. The truth was that Kim didn't actually know what he worked with. She only knew that he was some sort of scientist or researcher. It was none of Kim's business to know more than necessary. Besides, all suspicious questions about the job were forbidden. You could of course ask but it was like talking to a wall; no answer.

Suddenly the pleasant silence was broken by the ringing of a phone. Kim quickly realized that the thing actually belong to them. Shortly Thomas came walking from the kitchen and sat down on the chair with a phone pressed to his right ear. His burning red hair shone sharply in the sun and the sea blue eyes blinked drowsily. A relatively thin moustache decorated his face that was timeless. Kim noticed that she seemed angry to be awoken this early and he spoke fast. But she didn't quite hear what was being said so she let her curiosity take over. Silently she lay down on her stomach by the wall and laid her ear against a tiny decorative hole.

"Damn it! What is the meaning of this? I'm on my vacation." Thomas roared indignant but still keeping his voice down.

"I'm sorry to bother you but we have some BIG problems, Neeson." the man in the other end answered. His voice was slightly trembling.

"What kind of "problems"?"

"One of our bugs has escaped. It's probably running around freely in the jungle right now and enjoying the freedom. Just don't ask how this happened..."

"WHAT!" Yelled Thomas and slammed his fist in the nearby table. "Are you completely brainless if you let a thing like that get away! Do you realize what will happen when it gets hungry for blood and feels the scent of people?"

"Of course I know!" The man was seriously scared but was also beginning to get angry. "We need to catch it before it has time to do too much damage.

"Why do you call me and not the guys with big guns?"

"We will, we will. But we also need your help. You're the one who has spent the most time with them and..."

"Now just wait a minute. I can't, not today. It's Kim's birthday. We always celebrate by going out to dinner."

"That may be. But if we don't catch this creature soon; maybe there won't be any birthday for either Kim or another unfortunate person."

Thomas signed heavily and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his green bathrobe.

"Alright, I'll come. But I'm only staying till four o clock. After that, you're on your own.

"Thanks Neeson. I knew I could count on you".

The man hung up and left Thomas pondering in the garden. After a couple of minutes he went back in to boil some coffee. He really needed his caffeine-kick now.

Kim lay still on the balcony floor and breathed heavily. Was she dreaming or did she actually hear all of that? What ever it was that had escaped it was neither cute nor fluffy. The phonecall made her head spinn. She completely forgot about the celebration. For the first time something indescribable in her ignited. In spite of her being a reserved girl that didn't care about the rest of the world, she became terribly curious. Maybe this was her chance to prove certain theories...


End file.
